When I arrived in Birmingham Saturday night at 7pm for the second day of the Secret Stages Music Discover Festival, I was greeted with dark swirling clouds overhead, a serious thunderstorm was moments away. I considered punting on the night, and driving back home to Huntsville. But, I had to see Future Elevators. After featuring their downright gorgeous 'Alabama Song' back in March, and then falling in love with 'Modern World', I wasn't going to miss an opportunity to see the band. I'd had other opportunities to catch a show, but the schedule on my end never seemed to agree with the band's gigs.

So, while I waited it out, I almost got smashed by a 20 foot barrier fence when a violent burst of wind ahead of the storm toppled the fence on a few folks checking out The Loudermilks. It spooked me because I was over-matched by the weight of the fence and force of the wind. By the time I gathered my wits, a few other bystanders had rushed over to help out. Thankfully, nobody was injured. And ultimately, any performances on the Main Stage were put on hold until the storm passed.

While waiting, I checked out Huntsville's own Seminole Strut at Rogue Tavern. And then, around 8:30, we were told Future Elevators would take the stage at 8:45. The long wait was over. Even though I was there to photograph, I took several breaks to soak in their fantastic performance. While their abbreviated set left off 'Alabama Song', I didn't walk away disappointed. Seeing them again is high on my list of things I must do, and it should be on your list too. Find 'Alabama Song' and my photos from their performance below.